Why Kripalu? by YoGanesh teacher Erica Arce

Erica (handstanding) with fellow Kripalu instructor Jay Karlinski.

• Erica Arce is YoGanesh's official Kripalu instructor, teaching Fridays at 6pm. | Erica Arce Yoga on Facebook
• Train to be a Kripalu Yoga Teacher at YoGanesh! Feb 9 - Jun 24, 2012

To climb deep down into the rabbit hole of your subconscious and feel within your own mind, body and soul what is present and what comes next ... for me, it was the clearing out of ancient samskaras.

Yoga is pregnant with countless benefits: the unification of the mind, body and spirit; the journey into the realm of non-dualistic nature, and the cultivation of harmony, equanimity and wholeness. It inspires awe - not mention the fact that it just makes you feel really good.

I came to Yoganesh through Co-founder Andrew Tanner, who was my instructor in New Jersey following my Kripalu teacher training in 2009. Andrew was pivotal to the maintenance and growth of my personal practice and thus my teaching. By osmosis, my classes are Kripalu with a sprinkle of Andrew inspiration.

I’m an only child to a single mom, and I had a rough time growing up in New Jersey. There were events from my youth that brought me bouts of impenetrable darkness and all the demons that live there. Through high school and art school, and even through another’s unconditional love, I couldn’t ever really shake the darkness. Not to paint a bleak picture - I certainly had joyful and happy moments, but it wasn’t until my Kripalu yoga teacher training in 2009 that something life changing happened.

Providence brought yoga to me over 10 years ago, however, it wasn’t until 2009, when I completed my 200hr teacher training at Kripalu, that my inner landscape began to dramatically shift. No words could adequately describe it. To climb deep down into the rabbit hole of your subconscious and feel within your own mind, body and soul what is present and what comes next ... for me, it was the clearing out of ancient samskaras (scars), profound healing, the creation of inner sanctuary and life skills, and the road to spiritual evolution.

Kripalu yoga is, among many things, a lineage devoted to bhakti (love, devotion and compassion in its supreme and divine form), Shiva energy (the power of transformation), and asana (postures) as a meditation in motion. I believe that this is what separates Kripalu from any other lineage. Everything I’ve shared in this blog is my reason for why I think you should consistently practice Kripalu yoga and why, if you feel the call to teach, take the teacher training at Yoganesh. It is my hope that as your Yoganesh Kripalu instructor, I can create a safe space and guide you to find your yoga.

By Swami Kripalu:

My beloved child, break your heart no longer.

Each time you judge yourself, you break your own heart.

You stop feeding on the love, which is the wellspring of your vitality.

The time has come. Your time. To live. To celebrate,
and to see the goodness that you are…

Do not fight the dark. Just turn on the light.

Let go, and breathe into the goodness that you are.

Feb 9 - Jun 24, 2012:  Train to be a Kripalu Yoga Teacher at YoGanesh

Related posts:

Kripalu at YoGanesh's 1 Year Anniversary